


the menagerie

by sleeponrooftops



Series: raising webhead: a parenting guide, attempted by the science boyfriends [19]
Category: Iron Man - All Media Types, Marvel, Spider-Man - All Media Types, The Incredible Hulk - All Media Types
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-10
Updated: 2013-06-10
Packaged: 2017-12-14 12:38:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,330
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/836957
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sleeponrooftops/pseuds/sleeponrooftops
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The menagerie is finally finished, just in time for Peter to meet Keira</p>
            </blockquote>





	the menagerie

_Two weeks later._

_March, 2014_

“Hey,” Bruce says as the closes the door behind him, and Tony grunts in response.  He’s just finishing up with the new door glass door, print-coded and sealed so that nothing can escape.  The main entrance to the storage room has been replaced, as well, though the glass is shadowed black.  It’s a few minutes before he steps back, nodding to himself.

 

“Alright, it’s done,” he says, looking over at Bruce, who nods for him to continue, “It’s pretty simply.  Both doors are coded, so Peter can lock them behind him, and there’s really no chance of escaping animals.”  Tony opens the door, and Bruce follows him into a narrow hallway and through into Peter’s room.  He stops before the next door, and says, “He can lock both doors from inside the room, too, in case something does escape.  This is sealed, as well, and it opens up into his room, right next to the bathroom.”  Tony leads him into Peter’s room, and the new door sits just next to the bathroom doorway.  They’ve moved his desk over so that it’s next to the door, and Bruce nods, going back into the hallway.  “The locks are at a good height, too.  He’ll have to reach for now, but, as he gets older, it’s going to be at a more comfortable height.”

 

They go back inside the storage room, where Tony’s installed lights in the ceiling and opened up the back wall entirely to glass.  “Oh wow, I didn’t know you already got the aquarium up,” Bruce says, going over to the opposite wall, where a large aquarium sits, built into the wall and taking up much of the space.  It’s empty, but Bruce can imagine tons of fish inhabiting it.  “Are you thinking of doing similar things with the other tanks, putting them into the walls?”

 

“I dunno, I’m gonna leave it up to him.  Where is he, by the way?”

 

“Sue just came by to pick him up for the park.  He’s bummed out we’re not coming, but I told him we’re working on a surprise, so he’s excited, too.”

 

“Excellent.  Alright, uh—what are we getting today?”

  
“I want him to be with us when we buy the fish so he can pick them out.  Do you remember which snake he liked?”

 

“Pretty sure.  If we’re getting the snake, we’ll need everything else, too, I’ve only got the aquarium installed.”

 

“That’s fine.  Maybe we can get lunch, just the two of us, and get home early even,” Bruce says, coming over to Tony and curling his fingers in his belt loops, pulling him close.  Tony grins, leaning down to kiss Bruce, and they end up in bed instead of out shopping.

 

“Well,” Tony says later, when Bruce is bugging him to get dressed, “That was— _awesome_.”

 

“C’mon, old man, we need to actually be productive while Peter’s gone,” Bruce says, kissing him as he passes by on his way to the bathroom.

 

“Old man?” Tony repeats, twisting around to watch him go.

 

Bruce laughs softly from inside the bathroom, and Tony just rolls his eyes and makes a face at the ceiling before getting out of bed and heading for their closet.  Before long, they’re out heading for the pet store, and Hank’s working when they get there.

 

“Doctor Banner, good to see you again, and Mister Stark,” he adds, suddenly wide-eyed.

 

“Tony, Hank McCoy,” Bruce introduces, “He’s at Xavier’s right now.”

 

“The professor has mentioned you once or twice, I’ll admit,” Tony says, shaking hands with Hank, and Bruce gives him a funny look that he ignores.

 

“Well,” Hank says, a little flustered, “How can I help you today?”

  
“Peter was in here looking at a snake recently,” Bruce says, glancing at Tony.

 

“A red tail boa,” Tony says, “Along with all the necessities.”

  
“Right this way,” Hank says, heading off.

 

They spend a relatively short time there, eager to get back home and get everything set up.  They talk with Hank for a while before they finally make their exit, and then they’re back at the Tower, and Bruce is moving Cooper into the storage room while Tony sets up the new snake.  When all is said and done, Tony takes Bruce out to where the main door is, nodding toward it.  Across the front, in bold lettering, are the words _the menagerie_.

 

“I like it,” Bruce says, leaning into Tony, “Peter will, too.  Now, how about lunch?”

 

“I’m feeling like Italian.”

 

“I can work with that.”

 

They go out to lunch like they haven’t in a while, just the two of them, teasing each other and laughing, lost in each other, and just simply enjoying the company of one another.  It’s nearly time for Peter to be back by the time they finally get back to the car, but then Sue calls saying she’s going to take the boys out for ice cream, and Tony maybe speeds so that they can get back to the Tower and he can kiss Bruce senseless.

 

“Sir, Peter has just arrived in the lobby.  He’s asked me to inform you he can ride the elevator himself,” Jarvis says near on an hour later.

 

There’s no response in the silent room until Bruce tugs on Tony’s hair, pulling him away.  “We need to get dressed,” he mumbles even as he releases Tony’s hair and lets him mouth down his throat.

 

“Not entirely,” Tony murmurs against his chest, “He’ll go down for his nap after we show him the menagerie, and then you’re mine again.”

 

“Tony,” Bruce sighs, tugging on his hair until he leans up and Bruce can kiss him on the mouth.

 

They fall away into each other again until the handle starts to turn on their door, and Bruce swears even as Tony says, “Jarvis, lock the door.”

 

Peter whines from outside the door even as Bruce and Tony hurry to get out of bed.  Bruce tugs on a shirt and a pair of sweats while Tony dons just sweats, and Peter’s not outside their door when they open it.  “Peter?” Tony calls, going across the hall.

 

Peter’s inside his room, pulling back the blankets on his bed.  “I’m tired,” he mumbles, not turning around, “I want to go to bed.”

  
“Don’t you want to see your surprise first?” Tony asks, going over toward the new door.

 

“Oh yeah!” Peter exclaims, running over, “What is it, what is it?”

 

“Okay, you know how daddy and I have been working in your room the last two weeks?”

 

“You said you were putting in a new hallway.”

 

“Exactly.  Open the door.”  Peter lifts a hand to the lock pad, fingers spread, and Jarvis reads his prints before the door clicks open.  Peter pushes it open and heads down the hall, Tony and Bruce following him.  He does the same to the second door, and then he’s stepping inside the menagerie.  “Jarvis, lights.”

 

The lights come on, dimmed, though bright enough that they can see clearly.  Peter gasps, looking around in awe.  “Cooper!” he exclaims, hurrying over to his tarantula.  He looks back at his daddies, wide-eyed.  “What is this place?”

 

“This is your menagerie,” Tony says, smiling, “This is where you’ll keep all your reptiles and fish and anything else you want.  We brought Cooper in here so his new friend didn’t feel lonely.”  Peter gasps as Tony heads toward the new tank, running over to him, bare feet slapping against the ground.  He presses his face to the glass even as Tony carefully takes the boa from the tank and hands it down.  “Be careful,” he says, but Peter has watched enough documentaries that he knows how to handle a snake.

 

He lets it wrap around his arm, giggling, watching it go excitedly.  “What are you going to name her?”  Bruce asks.

 

“It’s a girl snake?” Peter asks, looking over, and Tony nods.  “Keira,” he decides after a few moments, “Her name is Keira.”


End file.
